Does YouTube Music have a free option?
YouTube Music is a music streaming service developed by YouTube. It offers both a free, ad-supported version and a paid, ad-free version called YouTube Music Premium. YouTube Music provides access to official songs, albums, thousands of playlists, and YouTube’s catalog of remixes, live performances, covers and music videos. The service competes directly with other major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
YouTube Music has two main pricing options: a free version or a paid subscription. The free version allows users to stream music with advertisements. There are no monthly limits for streaming music on the free tier. YouTube Music Premium provides an ad-free experience along with additional features like offline downloads. Premium is priced at $9.99 per month for individuals. There is also a family plan and student plan available. Users can test out YouTube Music Premium through a free trial.
This article will provide an in-depth look at the differences between the free and paid tiers of YouTube Music. It will examine the features, limitations and pricing for each version to help readers understand what is offered through the free option and the added benefits that come with a YouTube Music Premium subscription.
YouTube Music Free Option
YouTube Music offers a free, ad-supported version that gives users access to the full YouTube Music catalog of over 80 million official songs, albums, thousands of playlists, and artist radio stations (source). With the free version, users can search for and play any song or album on demand. They also get access to personalized recommendations based on listening history and likes/dislikes.
The free, ad-supported version of YouTube Music allows users to play music in the background, offline, and with the screen locked. It is available on mobile and tablet apps as well as desktop. However, the free version does limit users to audio-only listening and video playback is limited to music videos only. There are also display and geographical restrictions on some content (source).
Free Version Features
The free version of YouTube Music allows users to stream music with advertisements. This includes both official music videos and songs uploaded by independent creators. Users can search YouTube’s extensive music catalog and create playlists to listen to various songs and albums.
One highlight of the free version is the personalized mixtape feature. YouTube Music uses advanced algorithms to study a user’s listening history and preferences, and automatically generates a customized playlist of recommended songs called “Your Mixtape.” This playlists refreshes regularly to provide a personalized selection of music (1).
Users can also browse through selections like New Releases, Top Charts, and Genre Stations without paying. The free service is ad-supported, meaning short audio or video ads play between songs. Overall, the free version of YouTube Music provides a robust library of streamable music with an algorithmic mixtape feature, albeit with advertisements.
Free Version Limitations
The free version of YouTube Music comes with some notable limitations compared to the paid Premium version. One of the biggest limitations is that free users cannot play tracks on-demand or pick individual songs to listen to. They are limited to playing songs that are part of curated playlists or radio stations. This means users can’t search for and play a specific song whenever they want like they can with Premium.
Free users also face limits on how many times they can skip tracks while listening to a playlist or radio station. According to Android Authority, free users are limited to 6 skips per hour per radio station. So if you are listening to a playlist and don’t like a certain song, you only get so many skips before you have to listen to what’s next or stop listening. This is a major limitation compared to Premium which offers unlimited skips.
Overall, the free version lacks the on-demand playback and customization that Premium users get. Free users have to listen to pre-made playlists or stations and can’t fully control the listening experience. Limited track skips also constrain how users can interact with the music. These limitations encourage users to upgrade to the paid Premium option for full access.
YouTube Music Premium
YouTube Music Premium is the paid subscription service that unlocks additional features and benefits beyond the free version of YouTube Music. Some of the key features of a YouTube Music Premium subscription include:[1]
- Ad-free listening – Music plays without any audio or visual advertisements interrupting the experience.
- Background/offline listening – Songs can play even when the app is closed or without an internet connection.
- Downloads – Ability to download songs, albums, playlists for offline listening.
- Audio-only mode – Option to play just the audio without the music video.
A YouTube Music Premium subscription removes all the major limitations of the free version, providing an uninterrupted, customizable listening experience. It is similar to paid services like Spotify or Apple Music. The standard YouTube Music Premium plan costs $9.99 per month after a 1-month free trial.[2]
Premium Features
There are several key features that come with a YouTube Music Premium subscription. The main benefits include ad-free listening, downloads for offline listening, and background listening.
With a YouTube Music Premium subscription, you can listen to all the music on YouTube ad-free. This gives uninterrupted listening, unlike with the YouTube Music free version that inserts ads occasionally (YouTube Music Premium review, 2022).
Another Premium feature is the ability to download music for offline listening. You can save songs, albums, playlists and more to your mobile device storage. This allows you to listen without an internet connection such as when flying or commuting (YouTube Music Premium review, 2023).
Lastly, YouTube Music Premium enables background listening. So you can keep the music playing with the app minimized or while using other apps. The free version stops playback when minimized or switched to a different app (6 things you need to know about YouTube Music, 2018).
Premium Pricing
YouTube Music Premium is available as either a monthly or annual subscription. The monthly plan allows you to pay month-to-month, while the annual plan offers a slight discount for paying for a full year upfront.
According to Android Authority, the YouTube Music Premium pricing options are:
- Individual Monthly: $9.99/month
- Individual Annual: $99/year (equivalent to $8.25/month)
- Student Monthly: $4.99/month
- Student Annual: $49.99/year (equivalent to $4.17/month)
- Family Monthly: $14.99/month
- Family Annual: $149.99/year (equivalent to $12.50/month)
The student pricing is available for eligible college students, while the family plan allows up to 5 additional family members to access Premium features.
Compared to competitors like Spotify, YouTube Music’s pricing is competitive. Spotify’s premium plan is $9.99/month for an individual plan and $15.99/month for a family plan of up to 6 users.
Premium Free Trial
YouTube Music offers new users a free 1-month trial of YouTube Music Premium. This gives you full access to the Premium features for 30 days before you need to start paying.
To get the free trial, simply go to music.youtube.com and click on the “Try 1 month free” button. You’ll need to enter your payment information to sign up, but you won’t be charged until after the 1-month trial period ends. YouTube will notify you before you are charged.
The Premium free trial is available for new YouTube Music Premium subscribers only. Existing or previous Premium subscribers are not eligible for another free trial. However, students can get an extended free trial of up to 6 months by verifying their student status. See here for more details on the student offer.
The free trial gives you full access to YouTube Music Premium features like ad-free listening, offline downloads, background playback and more. It’s a great way to experience Premium for yourself before deciding if you want to pay for a subscription.
Comparing Free and Premium
There are some key differences between the free and premium tiers of YouTube Music that cater to different types of users:
The free version of YouTube Music allows users to search for and play music, create playlists, and get basic recommendations. However, it has ads and doesn’t allow downloading songs or playing music in the background. The free version is ideal for casual listeners who want a basic on-demand music experience.
YouTube Music Premium provides an ad-free experience, background play, and offline downloads. Premium subscribers can save songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening. There are also enhanced recommendations and access to YouTube Music Original content. Premium is better suited for frequent listeners who want a full-featured, customizable music streaming experience.
In terms of pricing, the free version is obviously cheaper but limited. YouTube Music Premium costs $9.99 per month for individuals or $14.99 for a family plan, after a 1-month free trial. For avid music listeners, the premium features and extensive catalog make the paid subscription worthwhile.
Overall, the free tier appeals to casual users while Premium offers more for hardcore music fans. Listeners should compare the features and costs to determine which version of YouTube Music best fits their needs.
Conclusion
In summary, YouTube Music does offer a free, ad-supported version of its streaming music service. The free option provides access to YouTube Music’s catalog of over 80 million official songs, albums, playlists, and artist radio stations. However, the free version is limited in certain ways – you can’t download music for offline listening, play videos in the background, or get an ad-free experience. To remove ads and unlock additional features like unlimited skips and downloads, you’ll need a paid YouTube Music Premium subscription. But the free version still provides a solid music streaming option, especially for more casual listeners looking for free ad-supported music.